This Status Report example shows how Alex Morgan, PMP, communicated project performance to sponsor Riley Park during Period 5 (May 15–31) of Project Phoenix — a $72,250 website launch managed using the PMBOK Guide 8th Edition. Period 5 was the most complex reporting period: ISS-007 (load test failure) was active, QA sprint 2 was underway, and the go-live date was 13 days away. This example shows how to write a status report that informs and reassures without burying the bad news.

What Is a Status Report?

A Status Report is a periodic communication document that summarizes project performance against the plan, highlights current issues and risks, documents completed work, and previews upcoming activities. In PMBOK 8, status reports are a key output of the Communications Management approach within the Planning and Measurement Performance Domains. They serve as the primary mechanism through which sponsors and senior stakeholders stay informed without being involved in daily project activities. A good status report is concise, data-driven, and action-oriented — it answers the questions "Are we on track?" "What are the current issues?" and "What is being done about them?" in the minimum space necessary.

What's Inside This Status Report Example

This Status Report example for Project Phoenix includes:

• KPI dashboard with four traffic-light indicators: Cost Performance (CPI 1.02, GREEN), Schedule Performance (SPI 0.99, GREEN), Quality (100% UAT pass rate for completed test cases, GREEN), Risk Exposure (Low, GREEN)
• Period 5 accomplishments: frontend development fully complete and accepted, CRM Mautic integration complete and tested, all final content received and loaded, QA Sprint 1 complete (23/23 test cases passed)
• In progress: QA Sprint 2 (12 test cases remaining), load and stress testing (ISS-007 — Redis upgrade installed, re-test scheduled May 28), WCAG accessibility audit (80% complete)
• Upcoming (Period 6): ISS-007 re-test confirmation, final WCAG certification, DNS pre-configuration, go-live preparation, stakeholder go-live briefing, and go-live June 13
• Active risks and issues: ISS-007 (load test failure — Redis fix installed, re-test in progress, LOW risk to go-live date), CRM Google Analytics integration (analytics tracking not yet verified — LOW risk, can be resolved post-launch)
• Value delivered narrative: the website is 85% complete with 2 weeks remaining — on track to deliver a PageSpeed 90+ site with full CRM integration by June 13, 2025

How Alex Morgan Used This Status Report

Alex Morgan sent the Period 5 Status Report to Riley Park on Friday, May 31, at 4:45 PM — maintaining the consistent Friday end-of-day delivery schedule she had held for all 12 previous weekly reports. The ISS-007 section was the most carefully written part of the report: it led with the fact that a fix had already been installed and a re-test was scheduled, before explaining the nature of the original failure. This sequencing — solution first, problem second — is a deliberate communication strategy that maintains sponsor confidence while being fully transparent. Riley Park responded within 30 minutes with "Thanks for the update — looks like you're on top of it." That response validated the communication approach.

Download and Customize

This Status Report example is available as a free download. Use it as a reference to build your own status reports, or start with the blank template and fill it in for your project.

• Download the Status Report Template — PMBOK 8 (blank, ready to use)
• Read the article: Status Report in PMBOK 8 — Guide and Best Practices

Status Report Example: Key Takeaways

The critical lesson from this Status Report example is that sponsor trust is built through consistent, honest reporting — not through consistently good news. Riley Park never received a status report that omitted a problem; she received status reports that always presented problems with a corresponding action plan. Over 13 weeks and 13 status reports, this consistency built a level of trust that allowed Riley Park to feel informed and in control without needing to attend daily standups or ask detailed questions. When the go-live date arrived on June 13 and the website launched without incident, Riley Park's confidence in the outcome was not a surprise — it was the product of 13 weeks of transparent, professional communication.

Want to go deeper? The PMBOK Guide 8th Edition is the definitive reference for modern project management. Get your copy and use it alongside these examples to build a solid, practical understanding of every performance domain.